A “Stitch” on TikTok is where you can select up to 5 seconds from someone else’s video and record a video of yourself to play immediately after that 5 second clip.
Sometimes TikTok users will ask questions that naturally lead into an easy Stitch. For example, authors in the community might ask questions about writing process or publishing experience or general book-related questions.
These posts are a great opportunity for you. When you answer the question, you provide insight to your followers, help them get to know a little more about you, and establish your expertise. It also allows you to connect with the original person who posted the question. You may want to follow the other person if you find their content useful or interesting. They may or may not follow you back. Don’t worry if they don’t. Just keep doing your thing and the right people will follow you as a result.
By searching “Author Question” I found the following 20 questions:
- When you’re writing a new book do you think of the plot or characters first?
- Are you a full-time writer?
- How many books have you written?
- Will your books be made into movies?
- What are you currently working on?
- How long have you been a writer?
- What was the biggest challenge you faced when writing your book?
- What kind of books do you write?
- Do you actually earn money as an author?
- What mistakes have you made as an author?
- How long does writing a book take?
- Do you base your characters off of real people you know?
- Do you add personal experiences into your stories?
- How did you pick the genre you write in?
- Did you always want to write a book?
- Would you spend the night in a haunted house if it was for a writer’s retreat that was fully paid for?
- What’s the first thing that happened that made you feel like you were finally an author?
- Are you a plotter or a pantser?
- What’s the one thing that would make you feel successful as an author?
- Do you write every day?
All of the above questions can be responded to in a stitch if you can find a video asking the question. Or you can ask any of the questions above in your video and follow it up with “I’ll go first…” and answer your own question.
PRO TIP: When you stitch the person’s video, you can select up to 5 seconds of their original video. It doesn’t have to be the first 5 seconds and it doesn’t have to be the full 5 seconds. Be mindful of the portion you select because this will affect the user’s experience with your video. Cut out any portion that isn’t relevant to what you’re adding to it.
In addition to stitching other people’s videos to talk about books or writing or publishing, you may find that other people’s non-book related videos spark ideas for you as well. This is common among romance authors, but I’ve also seen this done with other genres.
For example, Javier Garay (@javiertheauthor), is a children’s book author who I discovered on TikTok. He left a 12-year career on Wall Street to start a business that taught STEM-focused programs to children ages 4 to 14. His books, which are part of The Blocks Book series, teach kids engineering concepts in a fun, engaging way. Javier will often stitch other videos to give the scientific explanation for what’s happening.
Here’s an example of one of Javier’s “Everyday STEM Series” videos:
As you start connecting with others in the BookTok community, be on the lookout for opportunities to stitch their videos. And when you find them, jump on them right away!
For more tips, see this post on 19 ways to promote a book on TikTok.
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